Lazy-back for vehicle-seats



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. G. BRUNSMAN 8a H. H. UOKOTTER.

LAZY BACK FOR VEHICLE SEATS.

No. 481,745. Patented Aug. 30, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A A. G. BRUN-SMAN 85 H. H. UGKOTTER.

LAZY BACK FOR VEHICLE SEATS.

No. 481,745. Patented Aug. 30, 1892.

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flttorpgy.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTHONY G. BRUNSMAN AND HERMAN H. UOKOTTER', OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

LAZY-BACK FOR VEHICLE-SEATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,745, dated August30, 1892.

Application filed December 26, 1891- Serial No. 416,128. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANTHONY G. BRUNS- MAN and HERMAN H. UOKOTTER,citizens of the United States, and residents of Cincinnati, in thecounty of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Lazy-Backs for Vehicles, of which the followingis a specification.

The several features of our invention and the various advantagesresulting from their use, conjointly or otherwise, will be apparent fromthe following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, andto which referonce is hereby made, Figure 1 is an isometric view of alazy-back constructed according to our invention. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the frame of the back. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of thecushion. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section, on an enlarged scale, ofthe cushion and back-frame, showing in detail the tongue and groovewhereby the cushion is secured to the back-frame. Fig. 5 is an isometricview, on an enlarged scale, of the tongue and slot pieces in positionfor interlocking.

The ordinary lazy-back of commerce and as commonly made consists of aheavy stiff framework A lying between planes substantially vertical andbolted or riveted below to the seat-frame. At each side of the. vehiclethere is usually a lower rail B, parallel or nearly parallel to the endof the seat. This rail B is at its rear end secured to the end of theframe A and is likewise secured by bolts B or equivalent fastening tothe end'of the seat or to the vehicle in the neighborhood of the seatend. This rail usually carries two or more arms B 13 which respectivelysupport bows or like supports for upholding the ve hicle-top. Above eachrail B extends a rail 0, usually denominated the hand-rail, af-

fording a hand-hold for the occupant of the seat. This rail 0 is at itsforward end suitably supported, preferably by being rigidly connected tothe front end portlon of the rail B. The rear end of rail Ois rigidlyconnected to the adjacent end of the seat. The construction andcombination of hand-rail and lower brace-rail B are usually alike ateach end of the seat.

Upon the back of the seat a CllShlOIl is by means of a sponge and wateror by means of a hose. I11 either event the line leather or rep of thecushion of the lazy-back usually becomes more or less wet andconsequently injured by the application of the water. Frequently,therefore, the carriage is not washed as often as it otherwise would beand remains in a dirty and unpresentable condition. On the other hand,when it is frequently washed the cushion of the lazy-back soon becomesinjured and undesirable. The object of our invention is to obviate thesedisadvantages.

We have constructed the back-frame substantia-lly as shown in Fig. 2. Weconstruct the cushion D essentially as shown and altogether separatefrom and independent of the back frame. We then attach the cushion tothe back by means of suitable attachments, whereby the cushion may beattached to the back and readily disengaged therefrom. The attachmentwhereby the cushion is connected to the frame A should be one simple ofconstruction. The parts should be readily interlocked and readilydisengaged, and these said parts while interlocked should be soconstructed as to hold the cushion securely in position and prevent thesame from becoming detached from the frame of the backby the movementsof the vehicle or by the occupant of the seat while sitting thereon.

Among the various modes of attaching the separable cushion to the backwhich may be employed and which have suggestedthemselves to our minds Weprefer to employ a very desirable form of interlocking device, whichalso is of our invention. This inter locking device fulfills all theaforementioned requirements. It is as follows:

We provide a head E, connected by a nar- IOO row neck F, to a foot orsupporting piece G. This supporting-piece is preferably made long andnarrow and is riveted or otherwise suitably secured to the back H. Thesupportingpiece G is usually located in front of the said back H and insuch position riveted to the strawboard, in order that the said piecemay not bulge out the back of the cushion. The neck F is curvedrearwardly in nearly a horizontal plane, its general direction incliningslightly upward as it extends backward until it reaches and joins withthe head E. The neck is of sufificient length so that when the support Glies in front of the back H the neck shall project backward through thesaid back and hold the head E at quiteadistance from the rear of theback of the cushion. The neckfurther passes throu gh the back-cover I ofthe cushion. The head E is peculiarly formed and located with referenceto the back and neck. It is curved upwardly, substantially as shown, theinner side of it being curved in substantially a portion of the arc of acomparatively small circle, and the exterior is likewise similarlycurved. Furthermore, in cross horizontal section the head is also curvedin front and in rear, the centers of both of these circles being locatedin frontof the said head E. This peculiar form of head which we haveinvented becomes very serviceable in connection with the catch now to bedescribed and the mode of the application of the cushion in connectiontherewith. To the upper broad rail A of the back is fastened thecomplementary iron designed to interlock with the head E of the pieceaforementioned. This complementary iron consists of the plate J,containing the orifice K. This orifice consists of the enlarged portionK above and the diminished portion K below. The ends of the enlargedportion K and of the lower side or edge of the diminished portion K arepreferably rounded, as shown, for the purpose hereinafter mentioned.Behind this orifice there must be provided a recess for the reception ofthe head E after the latter has been interlocked with the plate J. Foreconomy of metal this recess L is formed in the wood of the frame-pieceA. The upper edge of the plate J is provided with a lip J locatedimmediately above the orifice K and lying at the upper end of the recessL of the wooden frame. The presence of this lip enables us to place theorifice K quite near to the upper edge of the wooden frame. Were it notfor this lip we would have to leave a thin layer of the wooden frame atthe upper edge of the recess L, and this wood would be likely to bebroken upon the introduction of the head E through the orifice in theplate J. If this thin piece of wood were omitted and the lip J were notpresent, then we would be obliged to place a piece of sheet metal alongthe upper edge of the wooden frame and immediately below the cover Awhich usually extends over the front and top edges of the wooden framepiece A, otherwise the head E would break through the flexible blackoil-cloth cover and injure the appearance of the upper portion of theback. The lip J 3 also allows the wooden recess to be formed as shown,and therefore to be sawed and chipped out with great rapidity andeconomy. When the heads E are being introduced through their respectiveopenings K,the heads E will usually impinge against the inner or lowerside of the lip J the latter in such case forming an abutment to preventthe farther progress of the head E upward. The curved portion of thehead aids in introducing it through the opening K and into the recess,and also causes the neck F to be dropped properly into the opening K Theplate J is secured to the back-piece A, preferably by screws M, passingthrough the plate and into frame-piece A.

In conducting the operation of interlocking the cushion D to theback-frame the bottom of the cushion is lifted away from the plane ofthe said back until the plane of the cushion makes an angle of aboutforty-five degrees with the plane of the back viewed in cross-section.Each head E is introduced into the adjacent orifice K of itscomplementary locking device. This is easily accomplished because of thecurvatures of the parts, more particularly of the back of the head E.The bottom of the cushion is now allowed to hang down or to drop againstthe back-frame A and then to hang suspended. The weight of the cushiondraws down the neck E into the adjacent orifice K thereby carrying thehead E behind the said orifice K and as the head E is larger than thisorifice K the cushion is securely locked in position. The wholeoperation is the work of only a part of a minute. The length of the headis such and the location of the flange J on the complementary part issuch that when the neck F is in the opening K the upper end of the headis in proximity to the roof of the recess, and any attempt to disengagethe cushion from the back-frame by sliding the cushion vertically upwardwill result in failure, because the top of the head impinging againstthe lip J or root of the recess prevents the neck F from rising highenough to come up out of the opening K Hence the cushion is securelyinterlocked with the back-frame A. As long as the lower edge of theback-cushion D is pressed against the back of the frame, as will be thecase at all times on account of the weight of the cushion D, thepeculiar formation of the locking device, as aforementioned, willprevent the head from moving upward, so

that it can be withdrawn from the plate J. As soon as the bottom of thecushion D is lifted out, so that it (the cushion) makes an angle ofabout forty-five or more degrees with the back-frame, the top of eachhead has thus been moved rearward. The heads will the more readilyperform this movement, because their upper edges are curved rearward, asheretofore mentioned. At the same time the heads have been movedrearward, and each neck F has been slid upward into the adjacentenlarged opening K. These necks F, together with their heads E, can bewithdrawn through the openings K and the cushion D removed.-

The interlocking devices are simple in construction, economical ofmanufacture, and efficient in use.

What we claim as new and of our invention, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. In a seat, the cushion made separable from the back-frame andprovided with interlocking devices, as follows: asupport-ing-piecesecured to the cushion and provided with the neck bent outward, forward,and then upward and terminating in the enlarged portion or head E, theplanes of whose sides are bent obliquely forward and upward and whosehead is enlarged over the neck in the direction of its lateral edges,the lower and front side of the neck and the front side of the headbeing in a continuous curve outward and upward and presenting when thelazy-back is in position an oblique surface to the plane of the frame,and the frame A, provided with opening K, composed of the larger openingK above and the smaller opening K below and recess at rear thereof,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a lazy-back, the cushion made separable from the back-frame andprovided with interlocking devices made substantially as follows, towit: a supporting-piece G, secured to the cushion and provided with theneck F, bent substantially as described, terminating in the enlargedportion, the head E, curvedin two directions, and the plate J, securedto the back-frame and having opening K, composed of larger opening Kabove and smaller opening K below, and the recess L, formed in theframe-piece A, the plate J being further provided with the lip Jextending from the upper portion of the plate rearward and forming aroof to the upper edge of the recess, and an abutment against which thehead E may strike when introduced through the opening K into the recessL, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a lazy-back, the cushion made separable from the back-frame andprovided with interlocking devices made substantially as follows, towit: a supporting-piece G, secured to the cushion and provided with theneck F, bent substantially as described, terminating in the enlargedportion, the head E, curved in two directions, and the frame A, providedwith the opening K, composed of larger opening K above and the smalleropening K below and recess at rear thereof, the length of the head Ebeing such that when the neck F is in opening K the upper end of thehead will be so near to the roof of the recess that a vertical movementof the cushion cannot enable the neck to be lifted out. of openingKsubstantially as and for the purposes specified.

t. In a lazy-back, the cushion made separable from the back-frame andprovided with interlocking devices made substantially as follows, towit: a supporting-piece G, secured to the cushion and provided with theneck F, bent substantially as described, terminating in the enlargedportion, the head E, curved in two directions, and the frame A, providedwith the opening K, composed of a'largerv opening K above and thesmaller opening K below and recess at rear thereof, the length of thehead E being such that when the neck F is in. opening K the upper end ofthe head will be so near to the roof of the recess that a verticalmovement of the cushion cannot enable the neck to be lifted out of theopening K the roof of the recess being formed by the flange J 3 of theplate J, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a seat, the cushion made separable from the back-frame andprovided with interlocking devices, as follows: a supportingpiecesecured to the cushion and provided with the neck bent outward, forward,and then upward, and terminating in the en larged portion or head E, theplanes of whose sides are bent forward and upward and whose head isenlarged over the neck in the direction of its lateral edges, but is ofa diminishing thickness from front to rear and of less thickness in thisdirect-ion than the neck,the lower and front side of the neck and thefront side of the head being in a continuous curve without projection,and the inner and upper side of the neck being in one continuous curvewith the rear side of the head and without projections, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

ANTHONY G. BRUNSMAN. HERMAN H. UOKOTTER.

Attest A. L. HERRLINGER, HENRY APPLETON.

